Closer (1999)
- Joel Caballero
- 7 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Closer is the fifth and final full-length studio album by Christian singer Susan
Ashton. It was released on July 27, 1999 by Capitol Records. While Ashton spent the earlier part of the 1990s establishing herself as a major star in Contemporary Christian Music (CCM), Closer marked her highly publicized transition into country music. It stands as her only album released for the Capitol label. The album was produced by session musician Emory Gordy, Jr., who was known for his work with George Jones and is husband to Patty Loveless.
Closer showcases prominent industry songwriters, including tracks penned by Diane Warren, Matraca Berg, and Kim Richey. Ashton co-wrote one track on the record, "Think of Me" with J.D. Cunningham and Jeff and Gayla Borders. The album was a modest success, where it debuted and peaked at No. 34 on the Top Country Albums and No. 36 on the Heatseekers Albums charts in Billboard magazine. Because it was issued as a mainstream country record, it did not chart on either the Top Christian Albums or the Billboard 200. Closer did produce two charting songs on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart: the lead single "Faith Of the Heart," written by Warren and "You're Lucky I Love You." The latter track was Ashton's only Top 40 country hit where it peaked at No. 37.
In 2000 after the release of Closer, Ashton divorced from Cunningham and then was working on her follow-up country album that took her three years to make. Capitol Records shelved the album and was never released, although the single "She Is" was released in 2003 as a stand-alone track. Capitol later dropped Ashton from its roster.
While Ashton's 1990s Contemporary Christian music discography is widely available digitally, Closer remains trapped in a licensing or distribution gap. A YouTube playlist of the album, minus one track, is posted below this article.
Track listing
1. Come On Out of the Rain (Jamie O'Hara) -2:53
2. Closer (Neil Thrasher, Kent Blazy, Kim Williams) -3:23
3. Our Little World (Matraca Berg, Jeff Hanna) -4:37
4. You're Lucky I Love You (Neil Thrasher, Marla Cannon-Goodman) -3:31
5. I Ain't Gonna Fall For Love Again (Kim Richey, Vince Melamed) -3:21
6. Breathless (Neil Thrasher, Kent Blazy, Kelly Shiver) -3:25
7. Shot For the Moon (Matraca Berg, Sharon Vaughn) -3:56
8. Getaway Car (Billy Mann, Gary Haase) -4:59
9. Supernatural (Marcus Hummon, Mark Prentice) -3:55
10. Think of Me (Susan Ashton, J.D. Cunningham, Jeff Borders, Gayla Borders)
-4:06 (AUDIO NOT AVAILABLE)
11. Faith of the Heart (Diane Warren) -4:17
12. Can't Cry Hard Enough (David Williams, Marvin Etzioni) -4:20
Radio singles
1999 "Faith of the Heart" -#51 Billboard Hot Country Songs
1999 "You're Lucky I Love You" -#37 Billboard Hot Country Songs
Previous release: A Distant Call (1996)
Next release: Kisses From Heaven (Australia and Europe)/Lost in Wonder: Voices
of Worship (United States) (2004) (with Christine Denté and Michelle Tumes)
Listen to the Closer playlist on YouTube:
Watch a performance clip of "You're Lucky I Love You" here:
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